Why was Ninny in the nursing home?

Yes, I know she was there to keep her friend company, but how could she afford to be in a nursing home and have a house? She had to be in there for a long time for her house to be condemned in her absence. She made no provisions for her house? Did she never get mail at the nursing home? She still owns the land, I assume. We know the staff at the nursing home didn't tell her about her house being condemned, but what was the longterm plan here? And the nursing home just lets her go, knowing she has no where to go. Aparantly the cab driver just left an old woman sitting on the side of the road, alone, in nowhere. This to me was the weakest part of the film, explaining why Ninny was there at the nursing home at all. It was a poor plot device to make sure Ninny would end up living with Evelyn.